The reputational imperative : Nehru's India in territorial conflict / Mahesh Shankar.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Shankar, Mahesh, author.

Series:

Studies in Asian security.

Studies in Asian security

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Nehru, Jawaharlal, 1889-1964.

Nehru, Jawaharlal.

Reputation--Political aspects--India--History--20th century.

Reputation.

India--Boundaries--Pakistan--History--20th century.

India.

Pakistan--Boundaries--India--History--20th century.

Pakistan.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (253 pages).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Stanford, California : Stanford University Press, [2018]

Summary:

India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, left behind a legacy of both great achievements and surprising defeats. Most notably, he failed to resolve the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan and the territorial conflict with China. In the fifty years since Nehru's death, much ink has been spilled trying to understand the decisions behind these puzzling foreign policy missteps. Mahesh Shankar cuts through the surrounding debates about nationalism, idealism, power, and security with a compelling and novel answer: reputation. India's investment in its international image powerfully shaped the state's negotiation and bargaining tactics during this period. The Reputational Imperative proves that reputation is not only a significant driver in these conflicts but also that it's about more than simply looking good on the global stage. Considerations such as India's relative position of strength or weakness and the value of demonstrating resolve or generosity also influenced strategy and foreign policy. Shankar answers longstanding questions about Nehru's territorial negotiations while also providing a deeper understanding of how a state's global image works. The Reputational Imperative highlights the pivotal—yet often overlooked—role reputation can play in a broad global security context.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Acknowledgments

1. Introduction

2. The Reputational Imperative in Territorial Disputes

3. Kashmir: Independence, Accession, and the Plebiscite Option

4. The Failure of the Plebiscite Option

5. The Dispute with China: The Formative Years

6. Opening the Territorial Breach

7. Mao’s China in the Sino-Indian Conflict

8. Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Studies in Asian Security

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781503607200

1503607208

OCLC:

1198929817